Editorial 1:On holding the Census
Context: Caste enumeration should not hold the Census from being undertaken quickly.
Introduction
The Union government is reportedly mulling the expansion of data collection in the long-delayed Census to include caste enumeration. That caste may be one of the variables in the Census could be an outcome of the strident demand for a caste census by several political parties.
Why is there a need for Caste Census?
- Un-usability of Census 2011: Socio-Economic and Caste Census of 2011, was in-complete which resulted in data that were unwieldy, inaccurate, and hence unusable,
- Need for a well-planned census: The government must not hurry into utilising the office of the Registrar General and other agencies to tabulate caste.
- Time Frame to be fixed: There must first be a definite time frame to conduct the Census on a war footing. If the delay is deliberate, in order to allow for delimitation to be conducted first in 2026, this will be harmful not just to public policy but also to relations with States.
- Census in India and world: As of June 2024, out of 233 countries, India was one of 44 not to have conducted the Census this decade. The delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but 143 other countries conducted the Census after March 2020, which marked the onset of the pandemic.
- Countries that have not yet done the census: India have not done a Census along with countries affected by conflict, economic crises or turmoil such as Yemen, Syria, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Ukraine, Sri Lanka and in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Lapse of administrative boundary freeze deadline: The deadline to freeze administrative boundaries of districts, tehsils, towns and municipal bodies — a prerequisite before the conduct of the Census — lapsed on June 30 this year. This deadline has been extended 10 times since 2019.
- Criticality of census: Several public schemes such as the National Food Security Act, the National Social Assistance Programme and the delimitation of constituencies are dependent upon the Census being conducted.
- Linkages of Census with National surveys: Besides, statistical surveys that go into setting policy such as those related to household and social consumption, the National Family Health Survey, the Periodic Labour Force Survey, and the Sample Registration System, among others, use the Census to set their sampling frames.
Way Forward
With the 2011 Census data getting increasingly out-dated and phenomena such as migration across and within States, the urbanisation of Indian societies, and the suburbanisation of cities becoming increasingly prominent in recent years, the lack of a Census is telling. Tapping all the parameters of the population and economy needs a re-structure and deliberation.
Conclusion
The reliance on a bevy of sample surveys to fill in the gap is only resulting in debates over methodology and conclusions based on cherry-picking according to one’s political choice. Clearly, the Union government must stop being derelict in its duties and should proceed with the Census quickly. Focus should be on to cover maximum sample size that is representative of the Indian economy.
Editorial 2: Unending war
Context: Escalatory risks in West Asia will remain without a ceasefire in Gaza
Introduction
Israel’s “pre-emptive” strike on Lebanon on August 25 and Hezbollah’s rocket and drone attacks on Israel underline the complexities and escalatory risks of the raging multi-party war in West Asia since October 2023. When Israel began attacking Hamas, it vowed to dismantle the group. Today, even the Israeli Defense Forces doubt whether it can be destroyed.
West-Asia war zone dynamics
- Israel is unstoppable: While the main theatre is Gaza, which Israel has been mercilessly pounding since the October 7 Hamas attack, the conflict has effectively spread to Israel’s northern border and southern Lebanon.
- Hezbollah’s retaliation: Over the past 10 months, Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese Shia militia, has launched hundreds of rocket attacks towards Israel, “in solidarity with the Palestinians”.
- Lebanon Killings: Israel has responded with air strikes on Lebanon, killing Hezbollah operatives and civilians. The trigger for the latest flare-up was the Israeli killing of Fuad Shukr, a senior commander of Hezbollah, in a strike in Beirut on July 31 — the day Israel killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
- Israel reponse on Lebanon killings: On August 25, after striking hundreds of Hezbollah targets, Israel said the Shia group was planning to carry out a large-scale attack and that its assault was defensive.
- Hezbollah’s retaliation: But the massive strike did not deter Hezbollah from launching over 300 katyusha rockets and drones towards Israel, killing at least one soldier and wounding several.
- Signalled a de-escalation but not backing off: Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah says his group achieved its targets, while Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said his country does not want a regional war. Yet, neither side is ready to back off from escalatory cycles.
- Israel’s intentions on War: It is clear that Israel is not in a hurry to wrap up its devastating offensive in Gaza, which has killed over 40,000 Palestinians.
- United States Mediation: The U.S. supports and mediates a ceasefire, but backs Israel’s war efforts through defence supplies and diplomatic protection. Hezbollah says it will not stop attacking Israel as long as the Gaza war continues.
Conclusion
By bombing Hezbollah and taking down its commanders, Israel is trying to change the reality on the ground, but Hezbollah’s continued attacks, which have turned northern Israel into a depopulated furling zone, suggest this approach is not very successful. While the war on Hamas still continues, the conflict with Hezbollah is escalating. By destroying Hamas, Israel wanted to strengthen its security in the south, but the widening war has heightened its insecurity in the north. And Israel does not have any easy military solution for Hezbollah. As long as the war in Gaza continues, the path towards a wider regional war will remain open.
